Production of garments on straight bar knitting machines



April 11, 1961 c LADBRQQKE 2,978,888

PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed 001:. 30, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnven lor NEVHA'L: u'I'mSEKT LA'PAKDWE B a y HMMGLQ we've/I Attorney April 11, 1961 c LADBRQQKE 2,978,888

PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 50, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 -2 RAF Inventor Newt/4,6 cum/35m AWSlocME MKH AEL S. 574.116? Attorney April 11, 1961 N. c. LADBROOKE PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 30, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 n e U n I NEVILLE cum/zed A Home y A ril 11, 1961 N. c. LADBROOKE PRODUCTION OF GARMENT-S ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES l5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 30, 1958 RLF Inventor New; cu'ru am. LrWl-Me By MmHAEL 8.512%? A ttorn e y April 11, 1961 N. c. LADBROOKE PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 30, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 5- l n ventor NEW L L a curl-mam LAYMDol/I Z By H CH H g SfQMzR Attorney April -1 1, 1961 N. c. LADBROOKE PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS 0N STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. :50, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 h W! 6 M p Q 4%.. ID

y Ml U405 51%? Orney 15 Sheets-Sheet '7 M q flEL S. ST/(M64 I Attorney N- C. LADBROOKE April 11, 196] PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 30, 1958 I QWWQWM' Wm A ril 11, 1961 N. c. LADBROOKE 2,978,888

PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS 0N STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. so, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 Inventor NEVILLE wmkm LAFMMI'E Mw Ag SSf/LMg/f Attorney A ril 11, 1961 N. c. LADBROOKE 2,978,888

PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS 0N STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed 001;. 30, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 mwma, W4

A Uorney 2,978,888 PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. so, 1958 April 11, 1961 N. c. LADBROOKE l5 Sheets-Sheet l0 Inventor NEW bu; cu fl-USEKT A W;

By mound. mm

April 11, 1961 LADBRQQKE 2,978,888

PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 30, 1958 15 Sheets-Shed 11 8 Inventor Ida/n44; cumsem' [,Apkoovt Attorney April 1961 N. c. LADBROOKE 2,978,888

PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 30, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 mu-a mzL SSTKMEZ Attorney April 11, N c. LADBROQKE PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed 001:. 30, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 13 4 1 n venlor New; arm (/CT LAVBQnuK By M \w PrEL. S, Kama K Attorney April 1961 N. c. LADBROOKE 2,978,888

PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed 001;. 30, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 In ventor MLHAEL s smu Z,

Attorney April 11, 1961 PRODUCTION OF GARM Filed Oct. 30, 1958 N. c. LADBROOKE 2,978,888 ENTS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES l5 Sheets-Sheet l5 425 am: a O

O O O CEEBII L l (O Inventor NEVLLE UATHGEQT PyBQmf MlLH REL. SST/axed A tborney PRODUCTION OF GARMEN'IS ON STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Neville Cuthbert Ladbrooke, Leicester, England, assignor to William Cotton Limited, Loughborongh, England Filed Oct. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 770,806

Claims priority, application Great Britain Nov. 5, 1957 13 Claims. (Cl. 6688) This invention is for improvements in or relating to the production of fabric on straight bar knitting machines and primarily concerns a method of effecting change between rib and non-rib loop formations in fabric during the latters production on a straight bar knitting machine, which method includes knitting one facial set of loops of a rib formation of loops on selected needles of one bed of simultaneously operable needles, these selected needles being interspersed with empty needles, i.e. devoid of loops, knitting the second facial set of loops of said loop formation on needles of a second bed of simultaneously operable needles, which latter needles are of the same number and spacing as thejnumber and spacing of said empty needles, and, for changing from rib to non-rib loop formation, transferring said second facial set of rib loops from the needles of said second bed to said empty needles, which latter loops consequently provide jointly with the loops on said selected needles :1 non-rib single loop formation.

A characteristic of this arrangement is that the rib fabric is produced on the needles of said second bed and on only spaced needles (said selected needles) of said one bed, and the result is that there is a strong tendency for the fabric to contract widthwise and in so doing tend to cause mis-positioning of the relationship between the old loops, newly fed yarn, and the beards, of the needles of said second bed. Mispositioning can also be brought about by yarn and or quality changes in this or other methods of rib knitting.

An object of the invention is to positively avoid any such unis-positioning.

Another object is to employ the same means which avoids such mis-positionirig, for effecting transference of loops in changing from rib knitting to non-rib knitting.

When it is desired to change back from non-rib knitting to rib knitting it is necessary for originally empty needles to relinquish their loops and a further object of the invention is to avoid this leading to possible laddering of the non-rib fabric.

This invention provides a method of effecting changes between rib and non-rib formations in fabric during the latters production on a straight bar knitting machine, which method consists in knitting one facial set of loops of a rib formation of loops on needles of one bed of simultanously operable needles, knitting the second facial set of loops of said rib formation on needles of a second bed of simultaneously operable needles, positively effecting relative positioning between new yarn and old loops on the needles of said second bed in a manner to ensure satisfactory drawing of this new yarn through these old loops, and, for changing from rib to non-rib loop formation, transferring said second facial set of rib loops from the needles of said second bed to needles of said one bed, which latter loops consequently provide jointly with the loops already on needles of said one bed a non-rib loop formation.

The invention also provides a method ot effecting Patented Apr. ll, l61

change between rib and non-rib loop formations in fabric during the latters production on a straight bar knitting machine, which method consists in knitting one facial set of loops of a rib formation of loops on selected needles of one bed of simultaneously operable needles, these selected needles being interspersed with empty needles, i.e. devoid of loops, knitting the second facial set of loops of said rib formation on needles of a second bed of simultaneously operable needles, which latter needles are of the same number and spacing as the number and spacing of said empty needles, positively effecting relative positioning between new yarn and old loops on the needles of said second bed in a manner to ensure satisfactory drawing of this new yarn through these old loops, and, for changing from rib to non-rib loop formation, transferring said second facial set of rib loops of the needles of said second bed to said empty needles,

which latterloops consequently provide jointly with the loops on said selected needles a non-rib single loop formation. Conveniently for changing back from the non-rib loop formation to the rib loop formation, those originally empty needles of said one bed to which loops from the needles of said second bed were transferred are again caused to be empty needles by relinquishing said loops, and to avoid laddering a picot course is formed in which said loops are transferred to the selected needles of said one bed before newly fed yarn is taken by these needles and the needles of said second bed for the rib loop formation.

For the rib loop formation, newly fed yarn is conveniently first taken by all the needles of said one bed which are bearded needles, then loop transfer points are caused to take off newly fed yarn portions from those needles of said one bed which are interspersed with the selected needles thereof, said yarn portions being taken by the needles of said second bed, and then the yarn control elements are caused to engage said yarn portions and positively position them spaced from the old loops on the needles of said second bed and under their beards.

Conveniently said yarn control elements are also caused to effect the transfer of said second facial set of rib loops from the needles of said second bed to the empty needles of said one bed.

Conveniently, said loop transfer instrumentsare also caused to effect the transfer of loops in the picot course. The invention further provides a straight bar knitting machine having means for effecting changes between rib and non-rib loop formations in fabric during the latters pro duction on a straight bar knitting machine, comprising a first bed of simultaneously operable needles and means for causing needles of this bed to knit one facial set of loops of a rib formation, a second bed of simultaneously operable needles and means for causing the needles of this second bed to knit the second facial set of loops of said rib formation, means for positively effecting relative positioning between new yarn and old loops on the needles of said second bed to ensure satisfactory drawing of this new yarn through these old loops, and means for transferring said second facial set of rib loops from the needles of said second bed to needles of said first bed, which latter loops consequently provide jointly with loops already on the needles of said one bed a non-rib loop formation.

The invention also provides a straight bar knitting machine having means for effecting a change between rib and non-rib loop formations in fabric during the latters production on a straight bar knitting machine, comprising a first bed of simultaneously operable needles and means a second bed of simultaneously operable needles having the same number andspacing as said empty needles,

means for causing these needles of the second bed to knit the second facial set of loops of said rib formation, means for positively effecting relative positioning between the new yarn and'old loops on the needles of said second-.-

bed to ensure satisfactory drawing of this new yarn through these old loops, and means for transferringsaid second facial set of rib loops from the needles of saidsecond bed to said empty needles, which latter loops consequently provide jointly with the loops on said selectedneedles a non-rib single loop formation.

The invention further provides a straight bar knitting machine having means for automatically changing from the production of rib fabric to the production of non-rib fabric, which means comprises one bed of simultaneously operable needles whereof selected spaced needles are adapted to knit one facial set of loops of rib fabric, theremaining needles constituting empty needles, and a secondbed of simultaneously operable needles of the same number and spacing as said empty needles beingadapted to knit the other facial set of loops of the rib fabric, and means for causing the last formed rib loops of the second facial set to be transferred from the needles of the second bed to said empty needles, followed by feeding yarn only to the needles of said one bed to knit non-rib fabric, characterised by means for ensuring satisfactory knitting of said second facial set of rib loops comprising yarn control elements and means operating them to co-operate one with each needle of said second set and positively position newly fed yarn on these needles. Conveniently the means for operating said yarn control elements are adapted for said yarn control elements to also effect the transfer of said last formed rib loops in changing from rib knitting to non-rib knitting.

Means are conveniently further provided for changingfrom non-rib knitting back to the rib knitting comprising means operable before carrying out the aforesaid rib knitting operations to take off the loops from the originally empty needles of said one bed and to transfer them to said selected needles of said one bed and in so doing prevent the possibility of subsequent laddering of the nonrib fabric.

The invention also provides a straight bar knitting machine for the successive production of and automatic change between 1 x l rib and non-rib fabric, said machine having simultaneously operable bearded vertical frame needles, loop transfer instruments adapted to'cooperate with alternate of these needles, simultaneously operable bearded horizontal machine needles one to each of said alternate vertical frame needles, yarn control elements one to each horizontal machine needle, cam operating means with a choice of cams for effecting varied operations of said needles, instruments and elements, and pattern control means adapted to effect selections among the cams as will result in (a) l X l rib fabric being produced on the other alternate vertical frame needles and the horizontal machine needles, said alternate vertical frame needles being caused by the loop transfer instruments to be empty needles, (12) newly fed yarn on the horizontal machine needles being positively disposed by the yarn control elements under their beards for satisfactory rib knitting (c) preparing the machine for nonrib knitting by transferring last-formed rib loops from the horizontal machine needles to said alternate empty vertical frame needles (d) knitting non-rib fabric on all the vertical frame needles and (e) preparing the machine to revert back to l X 1 rib knitting by producing a picot course which obviates the possibility of subsequent laddering of the non-rib fabric.

The yarn control elements each conveniently has an abutment for positively positioning said newly fed yarn on the needles of said second bed, and a pointed blade part projecting beyond the abutment for penetrating saidasvssss last formed rib loops of the second facial set and-transferring them to the em ty needles of said ene bed.

:Conveniently' the-yarn control elements have a Magitudinal movement for disposing the new yarn in the required position on the needles of said second bed, and a lateral movement for transference of the last formed rib loops of the second facial set to the empty needles of said one bed.

The yarn control elements may have a guiding engagement with the needles of said second bed when penetrating the loops.

The yarn control elements may be cranked for effecting the loop transferring operation to the empty needles of said one bed. g

The yarn control elements may be adapted to cooperate with their adjacent needles from either side, above or below as desired.

The above and other features of the invention set out in the'appended claims are incorporated in the construction which will now be described, as a specific embodimlelnthwith reference to the accompanying drawings in w ic Figures 1 to 5 show some successive steps in the op-. eration of loop forming instruments and other elements 1 in a straight bar knitting machine for producing rib fabric according to the invention,

Figure 6 shows completion of the rib fabric steps and a step towards changing from rib fabric to non-rib fabric,

Figures 7 to 9 show continued successive steps for changing from rib fabric to non-rib fabric,

Figures 10 to 12 show further successive steps for changing back from non-rib fabric.

Figures 13 to 16 show different views of a yarn control element employed in the machine,

Figures 17 to 20 illustrate modified forms of yarn control element which may be used in the machine,

Figure 21 shows another modified form of yarn control element,

Figure 22 is a cross section through one form of yarn control element which may be otherwise constructed as shown in any of Figures 13 to 21,

Figure 23 is a cross section through another form of yarn control element which may be otherwise constructed as shown in any of Figures 13 to 21,

Figure 24 is a cross sectional view through part of the machine,

Figure 25 is a front view of part of the machine,

Figure 26 is a plan view of a small part of the machine,

Figures 27 to 29 are details of cams for the machine,

Figure 30 is a front view of the narrowing head of the machine,

'Fi'gure'3l is a detail view of main cam shaft shog'ging means.

Referring now to the drawings, Figures 1 to 9 show the production of 1 x l fabric on a straight bar knitting machine and a change from 1 x 1 rib knitting tononrib knitting.

Those specifically vertical frame needles 1 of one bed are simultaneously operable to receive newly fed yarn Y and normally knit non-rib fabric. In addition there are machine needles 2, sinkers 3 knocking over bits 4 (not shown in these views), loop transfer instruments '5 of half-point type and a presser edge 6. The loop transfer instruments '5 and the machine needles 2 are of identical number and spacing to co-operate with selected of the frame needles 1 (in this example with alternate thereof) to be capable of producing rib fabric (in this example 1 x l rib fabric) with the assistance of yarn control elements 7.

Figure 1 shows the arrangement of starting to produce, a course of rib fabric, there being old loops PLF of one face of the rib fabric on alternate frame needles 1B, the other alternate frame needles 1A being empty,

old loops RLF on the machine needles 2, new yarn Y being fed to all the frame needles 1, and the loop trans fer instrumentsi lia'v'ing' been lowered from the dotted Q4 line position to the full line position closing the beards of said empty frame needles 1A, while the yarn control elements 7 are inactive.

At the next stage of Figure 2, the frame needles 1 have been lowered sufficiently to land alternate yarn kinks K onto the beards of the empty frame needles 1A so that at the next stage of Figure 3 said yarn kinks K have been castoff these needles and landed on noses 3A of adjacent pairs of the sinkers 3 by further lowering of the frame needles 1.

Figure 4 shows the knocking over of the old loops PLF over the kinks K1 of the new yarn Y of the alternate frame needles 1B, and the advance of the machine needles 2 together with advance of the yarn control elements 7 to receive the remaining yarn kinks K from the retracting sinker noses 3A.

By virtue of only alternate ones 1B of the frame needles 1 having rib loops thus formed on them there is a tendency for the fabric to contract widthwise and cause mis-positioning between the old loops RLF, the new yarn kinks K, and the beards 2A of the machine needles 2. However the yarn control elements 7 have upwardly projecting abutments 7a behind the yarn kinks K in a straight line across the needles such that upon following advance of those yarn control elements 7, with the beards 2A of the machine needles 2 open (Figure 4), the stage is reached of Figure 5 wherein said abutments 7a have positively disposed the yarn kinks K under said beards 2A in a straight line across the needles clearly spaced from the old loops RLF before the beards 2A are pressed to the shown closed position over the yarn kinks K, and with the old loops RLF on the needle shanks 2B away from the closed beards 2A. Accordingly the important state of affairs exists wherein all the yarn kinks K are satisfactorily drawn (Figure 6) into new loops RLFl through the old loops RLF, the machine needles 2 and the yarn control elements 7 being retracted.

At this stage a change can be effected to non-rib knitting by first shogging the yarn control elements 7 laterally into engagement with the machine needles 2 as also shown in Figure 6. y

The yarn control elements have, in addition to the abutments 7a, pointed blade parts 712 which are cranked under the machine needles so that their points 70 are directed towards the interior of said new loops RLFl.

Bearing this in mind, at the next stage Figure 7, the yarn control elements 7 are first advanced to penetrate said new loops RLFl and are then shogged laterally away from the machine needles 2 to spread the new loops RLFl laterally over the path of the empty frame needles 1A.

Accordingly when the frame needles 1 next rise, Figure 8, the empty frame needles 1A penetrate said new loops RLFl as shown, the machine needles 2 and the yarn control elements 7 being advanced to follow the usual motion of the frame needles 1 towards the presser 6 as they rise to take new yarn.

Figure 9 shows the fully raised position of the frame needles 1 whereat all these needles now have single loops PLF, RLFl of non-rib fabric on them for the production of non-rib fabric, the machine needles 2 and the yarn control elements 7 being retracted to inoperative position whereupon, with the loop transfer instruments 5 also inactive, new yarn is fed to and knitted by only the frame needles 1.

The two important aspects will be noted that wales of the non-rib loops will be clearly aligned with wales of the rib loops, and no double loops are formed at the change over from rib fabric to non-rib fabric.

For subsequently changing back to rib fabric if desired it is necessary for the originally empty needles 1A to relinquish the rib loops RLFl last formed on them, then to re-introduce the machine needles 2 and proceed as before described for rib fabric. It will be understood & however that unless the relinquished rib loops RLFI are taken up in some way the non-rib fabric may subsequently ladder. To avoid this a picot course is made by the loop transfer instruments 5. More specifically as shown in Figure 10 the loop transfer intruments 5 are boxed with said originally empty frame needles 1A, then they take oif the loops RLFl from these needles, and next transfer these loops RLFI as shown in Figure 11 to the adjacent frame needles 1B, whereupon the loop transfer instruments 5 retract to inoperative position, Figure 12, and knitting proceeds as previously described for rib fabric.

The details of the yarn control elements 7 of Figure 13 show that the abutment 7a is conveniently set over to the centre line CL, and that the point 70 is slightly off-set from the centre line CL. Figures 14 and 16 show that the blade part 7b has both a slight up-tilt towards the point 70 and a slight downward slope towards the side nearest its associated machine needle. Figures 15 and 16 show that there is a clearance 7d at the underside to admit and guide the associated frame needle head. The alternative form of yarn control elements 7 which may be employed and shown in Figure 17 has a cranked part 72 to form the abutments if desired and for effecting the sideways spreading of the rib-loops without lateral shogging of the elements.

Figure 18 however shows that modified yarn control elements 7 may be sideways shogged if desired for said purpose into and out of pointed engagement in a groove 2G in one side of the machine needles 2.

Figure 19 shows that the yarn control elements 7 may operate from above the machine needles 2 into and out of pointed engagement with an upper groove 2G1 in the machine needles shank.

Figure 20 shows that the yarn control elements 7 may be operated from below the machine needles 2 and be cranked (7 to form the necessary abutments.

Figure 21 shows a further modified instrument 7 which is of said cranked form for loop spreading, and has an angular sectioned part 7g to locate on the machine needles 2 for penetration of loops.

Figure 22 is a cross section of any of the yarn control elements a short distance behind the abutments 7a or their equivalent showing a desired inclined wall 7h for guiding the frame needles upwardly through the loops spread on the machine needles.

Figure 23 is a cross section of any of the yarn control elements at the same position as for Figure 22 modified to have an oppositely inclined wall 71' for use in a modi fied arrangement wherein the spread loops are first taken by the points 5 which are guided by engagement with the inclined wall after which the loops are taken by the frame needles.

If desired the machine needles 2 may be similarly cranked or otherwise shaped for the loop spreading.

For operation of the machine utilizing the yarn control elements as shown in Figures 1 to 16, the machine is constructed according to Figures 24 to 31.

Referring now to Figure 24 the machine is constructed in conventional manner in respect of the sinkers 3, the knocking over bits 4, the thread carrier 8, the main cam shaft 9, the frame needles 1 and the la'tters cam operated mechanism indicated generally at 10 and 11.

In the usual narrowing head (Figures 24 and 30) represented generally at 12 with carrying arms 13, there is provided the loop transfer instruments 5 adapted for co-operation one with each alternate frame needle 1A in the two senses required for causing said frame needles 1A to relinquish yarn kinks K for the rib fabric and for the picot course. For this purpose the loop transfer instruments 5 are mounted on pivotal arms 14 for manual movement into and out of operation, with a catch device 14a for locating the instruments in required position. The pivotal arms 14 are carried by the narrowing head on a rod 15 which is operable in the vertical direction.

'2 of the loop transfer instruments (Figure 30) by a follower lever 16 havingfi-xed and movable followers 17, 18 (with movable shifting fork 18a) c'o-operating with a choice of cams 19, 20,21 under control of shog -ging of the main cam shaft 9 and pattern means indicated generally at 22. For the shogging of the loop transfer points 5 in the picot course the rod 15 is slidable through the intermediary of link and lever means 115, a follower lever 116, and a follower 117 co-operating on and off a cam 118 on the main cam shaft 9 under control of said shogging of the main cam shaft 9.' The main cam shaft 9 is shogged as required by engagement (Figure 31) of followers 23, 24 with a choice of cams 25, 2'6, 27 through the intermediary of link and lever means 123, a plunger 124 and spacing blocks 125, 126 adapted to be moved into and out of operative position determining the positions of the followers 23, 24 in relation to said earns 25, 26, 27, under control of pattern means indicated generally at 2S','with a restoring cam 127 and follower 128 movable also from said pattern means 28.

The bed of machine needles 2 is carried in conventional manner through the intermediary of a mounting rod 29 by arms 30, 31 (Figure 25) from a rocking shaft 32, the latter being rockable by follower lever 33 (see also Figure 24) having fixed and movable followers 34, 35 (with movable shifting fork 35a) for operation by a choice of cams (Figure 25) 36, 37, 38, 39 under control of said shogging of the main cam shaft 9 and pattern means indicated generally at 40. For pressing movements of the machine needles 2' there is a follower lever 133 co-operating with a cam 136.

The yarn control elements 7 are mounted (Figures 24 to 26) in a bar 41 carried by horizontal arms 42 which are pivotally mounted on a bracket arm 43 secured to said rod 29 of the machine needles mounting means. The arms'42 are further slidably supported by rollers 44 (to which downwardly biassing springs 44a are attached) which project outwardly therefrom and ride on fixed horizontal guides 45 carried by brackets 46 from the machines template rail 47. The yarn control elements 7 are movable with the machine needles 2 by virtue of the rod 29 but they are also movable independently of the machine needles 2 in directions towards and away from the needles and laterally. For these latter movements the rod 29 is freely rotatably and slidably displaceable in the machine needle support arms 30, 31 (Figure 25). For the rotational displacements there is (Figures 24 and 25) a depending arm 48 which is secured to the rod 29 and has a pin and slot connection 49 with a followerlever 50 which latter is freely pivoted on the shaft 32 and has fixed and movable followers 51, 52 (with movable fork 52a) co-operating with a choice of cams (Figure 25 53, 54, 55, 56 on the main cam shaft 9 under control of said shogging of the main cam shaft 9 and said pattern means 40. For the slidable displacements of rod 29 it has a depending arm 57 (Figures 24, 25) secured to it and adapted to be engaged laterally by a peg 58:: on a bell crank lever 58 which is connected by a link 59 to a follower lever 60; the latter has a movable follower 61, (with movable fork 62), co-operating with a cam 63 on the main cam shaft 9 under control of said shogging of the main cam shaft 9 and said pattern means 40.

The control from the pattern means 40 (Figure 25 is through the intermediary of the fork 62 being free on a control rod 64 connected by link 65 and a lever 66 to Q of the pattern means 40, 22 shift the movable followers 35, 52, 18 so that the followers 34, 51 and 17 and the. movable follower 61 are operable by the respective earns 36, 53, 19 and 63 to change from rib to non-rib knitting,

whereafter the cams 37, 54 and 19 are rendered operative for non-rib knitting;

Figures 28 and 29 show the four cams S3, 54, 55, 56 for the yarn control elements 7, the cam 55 for rib knitting having a hollow 55a allowing the yarn control elements to advance towards the needles for the aforesaid control of yarn newly fed to the machine needles 2, and the cam 53 for changing from rib to non-rib knitting having a deep hollow 53a for the yarn control elements to advance to the needles quickly to a position where the frame needles 1 pierce the loops RLKI. The cam 63 for shogging the yarn control elements, as shown in Figure 29, has a nose 63a for effecting the shogging.

What is claimed is: i

1. A straight bar knitting machine having means for effecting changes between rib and non-rib loop formations in fabric during the latters production on a straight bar knitting machine, comprising a first bed of simultaneously operable needles and means for causing needles of this bed to knit one facial set of loops of a rib formation, a second bed of simultaneously operable needles and means for causing the needles of this second bed to knit the second facial set of loops of said rib formation, means for positively effecting relative positioning between new yarn and old loops on the needles of said second bed to ensure satisfactory drawing of this new yarn through these old loops, and means for transferring said second facial set of rib loops from the needles of saidsecond bed to needles of said first bed, which latter loops consequently provide jointly with loops already on needles of said one bed a non-rib loop formation.

2. A straight bar knitting machine having means for effecting a change between rib and non-rib loop formations in fabric during the latters production on a straight bar knitting machine, comprising a first bed of simultaneously operable needles and means for causing selected of these needles to knit one facial set of loops of a rib formation, these selected needles being interspersed with empty needles i.e. devoid of loops, a'second bed of simultaneously operable needles having the same number and spacing as said empty needles, means for causing these needles of the second bed to knit the second facial set of loops of said rib formation, means for positively effecting relative positioning between new yarn and old loops on the needles of said second bed to ensure satisfactory drawing of this new yarn through these old loops, and means for transferring said second facial set of rib loops from the needles of said second bed to said empty needles, which latter loops consequently provide jointly with the loops on said selected needles a non-rib single loop formation.

3. A straight bar knitting machine having means for automatically changing from the production of rib fabric to the production of non-rib fabric, which means comprises one bed of simultaneously operable needles whereof selected spaced needles are adapted to knit one facial set of-loops of rib fabric, the remaining needles constituting empty needles, and a second bed of simultaneously operable needles of the same number and spacing as said empty needles being adapted to knit the other facial set of loops of the rib fabric, and means for causing the last formed rib loops of the second facial set to be trans ferred from the needles of the second bed to said empty needles, followed by knitting only on all the needles of said one bed to knit non-rib fabric, characterised by means for ensuring satisfactory knitting of said second facial set of rib'loops comprising yarn control elements and means operating them to co-operate one with each needle of said second set and positively position newly fed yarn on these needles.

4. A machineaccording to claim 3 having means for operating said yarn control elements to eifecttthe transfer of said last formed rib loops in changing from rib knitting to non-rib knitting.

5. A machine according to claim 4 having means mounting said yarn control elements in association with means mounting the needles of said second bed but for independent movement in mutually transverse directions, and cam operating means for effecting these independent movements.

6. A machine according to claim 4 having separate cam operating mechanisms each with a selectable arrangement of cams for operating the needles of said second bed, said yarn control elements, and said loop transfer instruments, and pattern control means for effecting required selection of the cams at required times.

7. A machine according to claim 4 having means for changing from non-rib knitting back to the rib knitting comprising means operable before carrying out the aforesaid rib knitting operations to take off the loops from the orignally empty needles of said one bed and to transfer them to said selected needles of said one bed and in so doing prevent possibility of subsequent laddering of the non-rib fabric.

8. A machine according to claim 3 having said needles of bearded type, also said yarn control elements operable to positively dispose said yarn portions under the beards of the needles of said second bed.

9. A machine according to claim 3 having loop transfer instruments of the same number and spacing as said selected needles of said one bed, and means operating these loop transfer instruments for rib knitting to cooperate with said selected needles and cause them to relinquish their loops to the needles of said second bed and, for the change-back from non-rib knitting to rib knitting to effect the transfer of loops from said originally empty needles to said selected needles in the manner of forming a picot course.

10. A machine according to claim 4 wherein the yarn control elements each has an abutment and a pointed blade end projecting beyond the abutment, the abutment being for positively positioning said newly fed yarn on the needles of said second bed and the pointed blade end being for penetrating said last formed rib loops of the second facial set in order to transfer them to the needles of said one bed.

11. A straight bar knitting machine for the successive production of and automatic change between 1 x 1 rib and non-rib fabric, said machine having simultaneously operable bearded vertical frame needles, loop transfer instruments adapted to co-operate with alternate of these needles, simultaneously operable bearded horizontal machine needles one to each alternate vertical frame needle, yarn control elements one to each horizontal machine needle, cam operating mechanisms each with a choice of cams for effecting varied operation of said horizontal machine needles, instruments and elements, and pattern control means adapted to effect such selections among the cams as will result in (a) 1 x 1 rib fabric being produced on the other alternate vertical frame needles and the horizontal machine needles, said alternate needles, being empty needles, (b) newly fed yarn on the horizontal machine needles being positively disposed by the yarn control elements under their beards for satisfactory rib knitting, (c) preparing the machine for non-rib knitting by transferring last formed rib loops from the horizontal machine needles to said alternate empty vertical frame needles (:1) knitting non-rib fabric on all the vertical frame needles and (e) preparing the machine to revert back to rib knitting by producing a picot course which obviates the possibility of subsequent laddering of the non-rib fabric.

12. In a straight bar knitting machine having bearded vertical frame needles which are simultaneously operable to produce non-rib fabric, means enabling automatic changes between the production of non-rib and 1 x l rib fabric, which means comprises yarn feed means operable to feedyarn to all the vertical frame needles, loop transfer instruments associated with alternate of these needles and operable to cast off newly fed yarn portions from said alternate needles which become empty needles, bearded horizontal machine needles one to each alternate vertical frame needle and which are simultaneously operable to receive said cast off yarn portions, the newly fed yarn thereby being in l x 1 rib formation on said other alternate vertical frame needles and the horizontal machine needles, means for operating the needles to knit 1 x 1 rib fabric from yarn which is repeatedly disposed in said rib formation, yarn control elements operably associated one with each horizontal machine needle to positively dispose the newly fed yarn under the beards of these needles to ensure satisfactory knitting on them, means for changing from 1 x 1 rib knitting to non-rib knitting comprising operating means for the yarn control elements for causing them to penetrate last formed rib loops on the horizontal machine needles, and to spread these rib loops to be taken by said alternate empty vertical frame needles as they rise so that all the loops are then in non-rib formation on the vertical frame needles, operating means for operating these vertical frame needles to knit non-rib fabric, and means for changing back to rib knitting comprising means causing said alternate vertical frame needles to relinquish their loops which again become empty needles, and, to avoid laddering, transferring these relinquished loops to said other alternate vertical frame needles as in the formation of a picot course, followed by feeding and knitting operations as aforesaid to rib fabric.

13. A straight bar knitting machine organised for the alternative production of rib fabric and plain fabric and to change over between the two kinds of fabric so that courses of one kind of fabric are integrally knitted onto courses of the other kind Without running on, having a group of plain needles for knitting plain fabric and comprising spaced needles for also making one facial set of knitted needle loops in the production of rib fabric and intervening needles inoperative to make knitted loops during the production of rib fabric, a group of opposed needles for making the reverse facial set of knitted needle loops in the production of rib fabric but inoperative during the production of plain fabric, which opposed needles are of a number and spacing the same as the number and spacing of said intervening needles, means for operating the group of plain needles in theproduction of plain fabric thereon, means for operating the group of plain needles and the opposed needles in the production of rib fabric on the said spaced needles and opposed needles, means for changing over from the production of one kind of fabrics to the other kind of fabric which change means includes a mechanism by which loops or kinks are relinquished from the intervening needles and loops or kinks are received by the opposed needles and vice versa (according to whether the change over is from plain to rib or rib to plain) whereby there is the same number of needle wales in the plain fabric knitted on plain needles and in the rib fabric knitted on the spaced needles and the opposed needles, and means for ensuring satisfactory knitting of said reverse facial set of rib loops comprising yarn control elements and means operating them to cooperate one with each of said opposed needles and positively position newly fed yarn on these needles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

